# Wall of Awful [[On Tools, Skills, and Practices...]] Type: Use: [[💡 ADHD]], [[💡 Motivation]] An emotional barrier between you and what you're trying to do built from past failures and their consequences. When we do a simple task, like making a phone call, we're also dealing with a Wall of Awful. Every time we fail, we get a failure brick or a disappointment brick, or a rejection brick, or a worry brick, building up the emotional barrier. The Wall makes it difficult for people with [[💡 ADHD]] to do easy things. The natural but counterproductive ways we handle them: Hulk Smashing through the wall ("FINE, I'LL DO IT" or self-punishment), going around it (which is impossible), and staring at it don't work. It's the stress response -- Fight, Flight, and Freeze. Acknowledge you have a wall of awful for a task. When you feel the struggle, you're climbing it. Forgive yourself to avoid adding bricks. ### Put a door in the wall - Will help you get past the wall now, but not long-term. - Ride a dopamine wave. - Playing music to motivate you to go to the gym. - Time limit (20 minutes to cook dinner); novel experiences and places (writing at a coffee shop); exercise ### Put handholds in the wall - ADHD friendly ways to make climbing the wall easier. - Make a plan, know how long it's going to take. - Set clear, more attainable, or fewer goals (Reply to five emails) to redefine what it means to be "done." Done for the day. - Allow time for transition. Brain processes moving from one task to another (like going into work) before you do it. Transitioning directly will get you stuck. Give yourself 15-20 minutes. - Reflect on how things have gone.